India’s ‘Cockroach’ protests shake Modi’s grip, sparking copycat campaigns

A student-led wave—the Cockroach Janta Party—mobilized hundreds of thousands to protest exam-system failings, prompting Prime Minister Modi to concede and education minister Dharmendra Pradhan to resign. The movement inspired a copycat push, the E20 Janta Party, targeting the government’s ethanol fuel policy and urging policy reversals. Analysts say the protests mark a turning point in how Indian youth push for change, potentially widening dissent and pressuring the BJP on education and energy policy, even as the government seeks to manage unrest and maintain its political footing.